Shipping

General Shipping/Ordering Information:

Currently, for orders that are requested to be shipped now, as opposed to waiting until Fall, we're doing next day shipping. We even ship on Saturdays because the USPS, which is the method we normally use, does a very good job of getting packages to anywhere in the Continental US by Monday, just 2 days later. If you request Fall shipping, expect an email anywhere from one to five days after you make your purchase...it will tell you when we are planning on shipping and give you an opportunity to request a different ship date. Though we do give you a date, we look at your local weather before shipping to see if we should go ahead or wait. If we feel we should wait, we'll email you.

Summer 2010:

Currently, we're at the beginning of a long hot summer. Some people like to plant in the Summer and for most plant materials that isn't a problem as long as you have good irrigation. However, shipping can be another story. For many plants it isn't a problem, but for some it can be. There are certain plants we just can't ship in the heat such as Scotch Moss, Corsican Mint and Elfin Thyme. For others it can still be risky so from June 20th to September 10th you receive plants at your own risk. Please specify in the field labeled "Shipping Instructions" whether you want to receive your order now or wait until Fall. If you choose to wait until Fall, we'll watch your local weather and ship when temperatures fall to the mid-to-low 80s for several days both in your location and in ours. 

Our methods for shipping in the Spring are described in the shipping schedule.

Domestic Shipping

All the different regulations by the various Departments of Agriculture in each state can make shipping to some states a real headache. A phytosanitary certificate is sometimes involved. That costs us $20 in addition to having to deal with scheduling and being present for the actual inspection. The rules for each state are different and there are even some plants that can't be shipped to certain states because they are considered a noxious weed. We only carry a couple and they are clearly marked as prohibited in those states on their product page.

Did you know that Cannabis (Marijuana) is on the prohibited list for shipment into Illinois, Minnesota, Missouri, Pennsylvania and West Virginia because of its status as a noxious weed? No big deal to us since we don't sell it (though someone did use "weed" as a search keyword on our a site a few weeks ago - You know who you are!!!) but it is an interesting fact that illustrates the overabundance and complexity of regulations related to interstate shipments of plants in the U.S. I mean seriously, isn't the fact that marijuana is already flat out illegal enough??? Hats off though to West Virginia. They're the only state that prohibits the import of Opium Poppies and the only one that officially recognizes the Opium Poppy as a noxious weed. Are they afraid that Congress is going to repeal the Federal Laws against possession of Opium Poppies and that their own state legislature is also going to repeal their laws against Opium requiring a "noxious weed option" as a backup plan to prevent their population from making homegrown Opium a new free legal high? Geez.

And the rules aren't hard and fast either. They often change and it's our job to stay on top of those changes. So basically we can't say certificates & inspections are ALWAYS required for this state and NEVER required for that state. It depends on several factors, not the least of which is what's actually being shipped in each order. But there is a clear somewhat consistent overall frequency of certificate & inspection requirements for each state...and we use that pattern to help structure our shipping & handling charges.

So from what we've seen there are two ways that online nurseries deal with the additional costs:

1. They charge customers in the states that require certificates & inspections direct

       additional shipping & handling charges for their orders. So customers in California,

       Utah, Washington and Oregon pay a $20 surcharge and often pay additional

       handling for each plant on top of that.

2. They incorporate the extra cost for certificates & inspections into their shipping &

       handling charges (or even into the price of the plants themselves)for the entire

       nation. So actually the guys in Kansas and Vermont are indirectly paying fees to the

       Departments of Agriculture in the Pacific States.

Well the problem with method number one, is it's just a great way to pretty much eliminate all sales to California, the most populated state in the nation. The problem with method number two, is it just doesn't seem fair.

So what's our solution? We combine the two methods and also swallow some of the cost ourselves. We retrieve a part of the additional costs associated with inspections & certificates directly from the customers in the states that require them. We retrieve part by slightly raising the shipping & handling charges for the rest of the country. On the remainder we take a loss. Is it fair? No. But we can't seem to come up with a solution that's any better. If you have a better idea you're welcome to suggest it.

So the following table outlines the additional charges for shipping to certain US States and Territories. The charges will be automatically added when you check out.

That takes care of all Domestic Shipping except for military (APO/FPO) addresses and US Territories. We don't think there will be much call for perennials in military states, but you never know. Contact us if you're interested in shipping to a military address and we'll look into it further and see if it's possible.

International Shipping 

International shipping, including shipping to Canada, is also done at your own risk. The fee for a Federal Phytosanitary Inspection is currently $42. It will increase to $60 October 1, 2010. For now, if you order from another country, a $42 charge will be added to your shipping and handling. We'll do our best to work with the USDA to get your order to you, but because different countries have all kinds of different restrictions and requirments, we can't guarantee that you'll receive your order. The $42 and the cost of your order are non-refundable. Shipping insurance will be mandatory and though there's no guarantee, hopefully the insurance will enable you to recover some of what you've lost.

Shipping Technique

Before shipping your plugs will be sprayed with a light application of fungicide to prevent disease during the shipping process. Plugs for the most part will remain in the plastic plug cells they were growing in so as not to stress out the plant by putting them through a root disturbance and the stress of shipping conditions (no light/temperature and humidity fluctuations) at the same time. Tape, cardboard and/or netting may be used to keep them securely in the cells. Bubble wrap or newspaper (since people seem to hate styrofoam peanuts so much) will be used to secure the plugs in the box if needed.

Shipping Carriers - Domestic

When you check out in our store (on the view cart page or on the fast one-page checkout page) a shipping calculator will be provided where you can choose whichever of the above shipping methods that are available for your destination. There will also be a link to a pop-up of the above table so you can review transit times. The amount shown in the shipping calculator will include all shipping & handling fees, including any charges for inspections or certificates.

The important thing to remember is this: We can't guarantee that your plants will arrive alive or in good condition if you choose a transit time of over 4 days to save money on shipping. We only guarantee USPS Priority Mail to the above locations or UPS Second Day Air to the lower 48 States, Alaska and Hawaii. The good news is that USPS Priority Mail is usually the least expensive option anyway, often even being cheaper than UPS Ground.

Shipping Carriers - International

The above table is a list of approximate transit times for several USPS and UPS services to various destinations around the globe. Hopefully it will give you some idea of what to expect if you want to attempt international shipping. Once again, we can't even guarantee that your shipment will make it to you so you receive international shipments at your own risk. Insurance is included (where available) in the shipping charges provided by the shipping calculator in your shopping cart. For terms of the insurance however, and also for specific transit times and whether or not those transit times are guaranteed or not, you need to consult USPS or UPS directly.

Whatever method you choose for shipping, please remember you should unpack your plants and take care of any dryness immediately by misting or applying water...and plant them at the first opportunity. If there is any problem with the condition of the shipment you should contact us as soon as possible.

If you have any additional shipping questions, please contact us, we'll be happy to help.

Good luck with your shipping and your plants!